This invention relates to agricultural harvesting apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to crop gathering finger construction for harvester apparatus having a portion thereof closely abutting the ground for gathering crops.
Prior art corn harvesters often include some form of finger structure to gather corn stalks (or other material to be harvested) lying on the ground or slightly depressed therewithin. A corn harvester, for example, typically includes a plurality of gatherer sections which lie horizontally on opposite sides of the corn row to gather corn stalks and urge them rearwardly into the associated mechanical processing apparatus. Where corn stalks are lying on the ground or slightly depressed they will often be passed over and lost unless some form of gathering fingers are employed in conjunction with the apparatus to run along the ground. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, crops can be thrown to the ground by high winds, hail, or other weather conditions, or by animals passing through the field.
An example of the prior art is shown in U.S. Pats. Nos. 1,860,633, and 1,833,137, issued to H. Synck on May 31, 1932, and Nov. 24, 1931, respectively. These latter references disclose harvesting apparatus including downwardly angled members for engaging the ground to help dislodge downed corn. U.S. Pat. No. 1,878,941, issued Sept. 20, 1932, to A. Lindgren discloses a plurality of resilient, spring-biased steel finger members which project forwardly from spaced apart gatherer members at the front of the harvester. U.S. Pat. No. 2,601,305, issued to K. Laun on June 24, 1952, is similar in scope to the latter references. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,956,676, issued to R. Grey et al. on May 1, 1934, a plurality of spaced apart spring-biased metallic fingers are shown.
One problem often associated with prior art gatherer finger construction is that when a rock or other hard obstacle, for example, is encountered, the fingers may be broken or badly bent. Accordingly, it has been attempted in the prior art to provide some form of deflectable finger construction. This is somewhat suggested by the latter Grey U.S. Pat. No. 1,956,676 reference. U.S. Pat. No. 2,816,412, issued Dec. 17, 1957, to A. Fisher discloses a grain lifter in which a downwardly angled member is pivotally attached to the under surface of a harvester apparatus to prevent damage by simply yieldably pivoting away in response thereto. Where a large rock is encountered, however, damage may still occur where the finger is unable to pivot entirely out of the way. Moreover, even flexible resilient fingers may eventually be worn out or broken as a result of continual bending and twisting.